Automatic garage door opening mechanism



Dec. 31, 1957 o. w. LAING AUTOMATIC GARAGE DOOR OPENING MECHANISM United States Patent O AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENING The present invention relates generally to an automatic garage door supporting and opening mechanism and relates more specilically to such a door mechanism as adapted for automatic opening as' by slight inward movement of a lower edge portion thereof.

Over a considerable period of time, considerable effort has been expended in attempts toward providing automatic means for opening garage doors and the like without the necessity for a driver to leave his vehicle. Additionally, attempts also have been made toward provision of garage door opening mechanisms that would be fully automatic, would not interfere with material, or automobiles or the like placed adjacent the inside surface of the door and which might be openedeven though the outer surface may be covered with drifted snow or the like.

The before mentioned prior attempts toward the solution of the present problem largely have taken the form of many versions of treadle devices that were adapted for engagement with vehicle tires in order' to actuate some type of mechanism for opening the doors. Other prior devices have included complex linkage arrangements, overhead beams and tracks, complex matching arrangements and devices incorporating multiple and heavy spring bias mechanism. In each of these before mentioned cases such door opening mechanisms, some of which being fully automatic, have been necessarily very complex, heavy in weight and, of course, quite expensive in both manufacture and tothe user thereof. Additionally in many prior instances, full use has not been made ofthe various components of such arrangements in order to create an efficient, exceptionally simple and inexpensive door supporting and opening mechanism. Accordingly, in view of the extensive use of garages and the like in connection with almost every home, it is evident that a more facile, economical and elhcient type of door opening mechanism is needed which, in order to accomplish these objectives, must be simple in construction and ease of operation as v compared with prior structures designed to accomplish a similar purpose.

It is accordingly one important object of the present invention to provide a novel, greatly simplied door supporting and automatic opening mechanism.

It is another important object of the present invention to provide a door supporting and opening mechanism that may be released for automatic operation thereafter as by a slight inward or rearward movement of a lower portion thereof.

It is a further` important object of the present invention to provide a novel door supporting and opening mechanism that may be operated without interference with objects placed adjacent an inner surface thereof and which will be unaffected by the presence of substances adjacent an outer surface thereof.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide such adoor supporting and automatic opening mechanism that is extremely simple in construction, reliable and efficient in operation, rugged in construction I ice 2 and both "economical in manufacture and ultimate cost to the consumer.

Other and further important objects of the present invention will become apparent from the disclosures in the following detailed specification, appended claims and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a mechanism of the present invention as shown being energized by a slight inward movement induced by a vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the present invention as utilized in conjunction with a garage door or the like;

Fig. 3` is an enlarged sectional View similar to Fig. l showing the present mechanism in different positions of operation taken substantially as indicated by the line 3 3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in section showing a portion of the supporting arrangement and operating mechanism of the present invention as taken substantially as indicated by line 4 4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a lower corner of the door utilized herewith and showing a portion of the latch means of the present device;

Fig. 6 is a sectional vie'wv of the latch means as taken substantially as indicated byline 6 6, Fig.y 5; and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the operating characteristics of the' present mechanism.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters whereinA like characters denote like parts, the door supporting and automatic opening mechanism of the present invention is shown as indicated generally at 10. As shown primarily in Figs'. l and 2, the device is adapted for use with a building structure 11 which incorporates a door frame including side frame elements' 12 and top frame elements 13. The building 11 together with the frame portions 12 are adapted to rest upon a suitable surface indicated at 14. While the present invention will be shown and described in connection with a garage door indicated geenrally at 15 and of elongated, rectangular shape, it is to be noted that the present invention may be utilized with other types of door arrangements and variously shaped doors without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention.

The focal point of the present device surrounds a supporting shaft 16 that is disposed adjacent an upper edge 17 of the door 1'5 and spaced rearwardly therefrom. Shaft 16 isl elongated and is pivotally supported in suitable bearings 18 which are carried by supporting brackets 20. The brackets 20 are' secured as by any suitable means to a fixed structure such as the upper frame member 13. A pair of levers or arms 21 a-re secured to the shaft 16 as at 22 and extend downwardly and forwardly. The lower ends'of the levers 21 are provided with slots 23. The slots 23 arey adapted to receive pivot pins Z4 which are in turn carried by' brackets 25. The brackets 25 are secured to a rearward surface 26 of the door 15 as by any suitable means with the brackets 25 being located below a horizontal center line 27 of the door 15.

As shown primarily in Figs. 2, 5 and 6, a latching means indicated generally at 28 is provided adjacent a lower edge 30 of the door 15 and secured to the rearward surface 26 thereof. The Iatching means include brackets 3`1` which are secured to the rearward surface 26 as by screws 32 or the like, and clevis pins 33 which are supported by the bracket 31 and retained in flange portions 34 thereof as by heads 35 and pins 36. The clevis pins 33 extend laterally beyond vertical side edges 37 of the door 15 and are adapted for reception in vertically disposed U-shaped tracks or guides 38. In order to retain the door 15' inA a closed position, one side portion 40 of each of the tracks 38 is slit as at 41 and bent forwardly toward the door 15 as at 42 and then downwardly a-sat 43, thus to denne a detent in the area of the forward bend at 42 for reception of the protruding ends of the clevis pins 33.

With the upper edge of the door being restrained against inward movement as by a portion of the frame 12 and the clevis pins 33 in the -detent at 42, the door 15 will be disposed in a vertical positionl and will be hung in spaced relationship to the surface 14 as by the arms 21, pins 24 and brackets 25.

It is specifically noted that a ratio exists between the various positions of the shaft 16 and other components so that the door may easily be opened once energized and started. With reference specifically to Fig. 7 it is noted that the length of the levers or arms 21 exclusive of the slots 23 is equal to the sum of the distance between approximately the rearward surface of the door 15 and the distance between the pivot pins 24 and the lower edge 30 of the door 15. As the door is moved toward an open position, inasmuch as this relationship exists, the weight of the door above the center line 27 will act to assist in opening the door.

As shown primarily in Figs. 2 and 3, the shaft 16 extends outwardly beyond one side of the door 15 and is provided with a crank 44 which is secured thereto. The outer end of the crank 44 supports, as at 45, one end of a tension spring 46 the other end of which is anchored as at 47 to any suitable anchor point which may be embedded in the surface 14 or otherwise maintained in position.

In operation and use of the present invention, with the door 15 in a closed position as shown by solid lines in Fig. 3, a vehicle V having a bumper B may be driven into position to engage a pad 48 which is mounted on the forward surface of the door 15 adjacent the lower edge thereof. The engagement of the bumper B with the pad 48 will move the lower edge of the door slightly i rearwardly and out of engagement with any substance that may be thereagainst. The clevis pins 33 also will be moved out of engagement with the detents as at 42 and into the tracks or channels 38. Thereafter, the tension spring 46 acting through the crank 44, shaft 16 and levers 21 will raise the lower edge of the door vertically with the clevis pins 33 following in the tracks 33. During the first upward and outward movement of the door 15, the pins 24 will ride through the length of the slots 23 with the lower edge 30 of the door 15 riding vertically, thus to avoid any objects that may be positioned adjacent the rearward surface 26 thereof.

In view of the location of the brackets below the horizontal center line 27, the upper edge 17 of the door will move forwardly and upwardly from the structure 11 until a position is reached as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3. The upper limit of travel of the door and operating mechanism is -determined as by engagement of edge portions of levers 21 with the lower surface of the outer frame member 13. The door may be closed as by simply manually lowering the upwardly disposed lower edge and moving the lower edge in a forwardly direction to engage the clevis pins 33 in the detents as at 42.

It may thus be seen that a relatively simple supporting and opening door mechanism is provided with the supporting portion of the mechanism comprising primarily of only brackets 20, shaft 16, levers 21 and brackets 25. Such simple mechanism is not found in prior art. Additionally, the mechanism utilized herewith to effect automatic opening of the door is also relatively simple, thus to provide a mechanism that is extremely simple in construction, efficient in operation, reliable in use and economical. Having thus described the invention and the present embodiment thereof, it is desired to emphasize the fact that many modifications may lbe resorted to in a manner limited only by a just interpretation of the following claims.

I claim:

l. In a door supporting and opening mechanism, the

combination of: a door; a frame about said door; a horizontally disposed supporting shaft pivotally mounted adjacent to and rearwardly from an upper edge of said door; vertically disposed track means positioned adjacent a rearward surface of said door; means carried adjacent a lower edge of said door for guiding said lower edge in said track means; latching means disposed in cooperation with a lower end of said track means and cooperable with said guiding means for retaining said lower edge of said door in a downward latched position; lever means secured to said shaft and pivotally connected with said rearward surface of said door and above said latching means; spring means operatively connected with said shaft for biasing said shaft in a rotary direction and door connected ends of said lever means in an upward direction; and means responsive to a rearward movement of said lower edge of said door for releasing said latching means.

2. In a door supporting and opening mechanism, the combination of: a door; a frame about said door; a horizontally disposed supporting shaft pivotally mounted adjacent to and rearwardly from an upper edge of said door; vertically disposed track means positioned adjacent a rearward surface of said door; means carried adjacent a lower edge of said door for guiding said lower edge in said track means; latching means disposed in cooperation with a lower end of said track means and cooperable with said guiding means for retaining said lower edge of said door in a downward latched position; lever means secured to said shaft and pivotally connected with said rearward surface of said door and above said latching means at a point below a horizontal centerline of said door; spring means operatively connected with said shaft for biasing said shaft in a rotary direction and door connected ends of said lever means in an upward direction; and means responsive to a rearward movement of said lower edge of said door for releasing said latching means.

3. In a door supporting and `opening mechanism, the combination of: a door; a frame about said door; a horizontally disposed supporting shaft pivotally mounted adjacent to and rearwardly from an upper edge of said door; vertically disposed track means positioned adjacent a rearward surface of said door; means carried adjacent a lower edge of said door for guiding said lower edge in said track means; latching means disposed in cooperation with a lower end of said track means and cooperable with said guiding means for retaining said lower edge of said door in a downward latched position; lever means secured to said shaft and pivotally connected with said rearward surface of said door aft a point below a horizontal centerline of s-aid door and above said latching means; spring means operatively connected with said shaft for biasing said shaft in a rotary direction and door connected ends of said lever means in an upward direction; and means responsive 'to -a rearward movement of said lower edge of said door for releasing said latching means, said lever means having a length substantially equal to the sum of the spacing of said shaft rearwardly from said door and the distance from said pivotal attachment of said lever means to said door to said lower edge of said door.

4. A door supporting and opening mechanism comprising, in combination: a door having a vertical disposition in a closed position, said door having a forward face and a rearward surface; a frame surrounding each side and a top of said door; a shaft disposed along an upper edge of said door and spaced rearwardly therefrom; brackets secured to said frame and adapted rotatably to support said shaft; a plurality of levers secured to said shaft and extending to said rearward surface of said door; means for pivotally attaching said levers `to said door at points below a horizontal centerline of said door; tracks secured to said frame and disposed -on each side of and rearwardly from said door; `a pair of clevis pins mounted on a lower edge of said door and extending laterally therefrom for cooperation with said tracks; a pair of latches associated with lower ends of said tracks, said clevis pins being adapted for cooperation with said latches to secure said lower edge out of engagement with said tracks, said pivotal attachment for said levers being above said latches; crank means carried by said shaft; spring means connected with said crank means, the lower edge of said door being adapted for slight rearward movement to move said pins out of engagement with said latches and into said tracks, said spring and cr-ank means acting thereafter to rotate said shaft and said levers to move said pins upwardly in said tracks thereby extending said upper edge of said door outwardly to dispose said door in a horizontal open position; and means for limiting upward movement of said lower edge of said door.

5. A door supporting .and opening mechanism comprising, in combination: a door having a vertical disposition in a closed position, said door having a forward face and a rearward surface; a frame surrounding each side and a top of said door; a shaft disposed along .an upper edge of said door and spaced rearwardly therefrom; brackets secured to said frame and adapted rotatably to support said shaft; a plurality of levers secured to said shaft and extending to said rearward surface of said door; means for pivotally attaching said levers to said door at points below a horizontal centerline of said door, said levers having a length substantially equal to the sum of the spacing of said shaft rearwardly from said door and the vertical distance from said pivotal attachment of said levers to said door to said lower edge of said door; tracks secured to said frame and disposed on each side of and rearwardly from said door; a pair of clevis pins mounted on a lower edge of said Idoor and extending laterally therefrom for cooper-ation with said tracks; a pair of latches associated with lower ends of said tracks, said clevis pins being adapted `for cooperation with said latches to secure said lower edge out of engagement with said tracks, said pivotal attachment for said levers being above said latches; crank means Icarried by said shaft; spring means connected with said crank means, the lower edge of said door being adapted for slight rearward movement to move said pins out of engagement with said latches and into said tracks, said spring and crank means acting thereafter to rotate said shaft and said levers to move said pins upwardly in said tracks thereby extending said upper edge of said door outwardly to dispose said door 6 in a horizontal open position; and means for limiting upward movement of said lower edge of said door.

6. A door supporting and opening mechanism comprising, in combination: a door having a vertical disposition in a closed position, Said door having a forward face and a rearward surface; a frame surrounding each side and a top of said door; a shaft disposed along an upper ledge of said door and spaced rearwardly therefrom; brackets secured to said frame and adapted rotatably to support said shaft; a plurality of levers secured to said shaft and extending to said rearward surface of said door; means for pivoftally attaching said levers to said door at points below a horizontal centerline of said door, said levers having a length substantially equal to the sum of the spacing of said shaft rearwardly from said door and the vertical distance from said pivotal attachment of said levers to said door to said lower edge of said door; U- shaped tracks secured to said frame and disposed on each side of and rearwardly from said door; a pair of clevis pins mounted Ion a lower edge of said door and extending laterally therefrom for cooperation with said tracks; a pair of latches formed from lower ends of said tracks, said clevis pins being adapted for cooperation with said latches to secure said lower edge out of engagement with said tracks, said pivotal attachment for said levers being above said latches; a crank carried by said shaft; ten- .sion springs connected with said crank, the lower edge of said door being adapted for slight rearward movement to move said pins out of engagement with said latches and into said tracks, said springs and crank acting thereafter to rotate said shaft and said levers to move said pins upwardly in said tracks thereby extending said upper edge of said door outwardly to dispose said door in a horizontal open position; and means associated with said frame for limiting upward movement of said lower edge of said door.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,757,955 Dau-trick May 13, 1930 1,992,006 Gregor Feb. 19, 1935 2,217,761 McFarlane et al. Oct. 15, 1940 2,629,435 Dadswell Feb. 24, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 157,633 Australia Dec. 11, 1952 

